Machine for conveying cans and the like



Dec. 10, 1935. J. M. MoCLATCHlE 2,023,431

MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 7, 1953 l0 Sheetq-Sheet 1 Dec. 10, 1935. J. M. McCLATCHlE 2,023,431

MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 7, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll I .Vmf/ 'A'ITONEYS Dec. 10, 1935;

J. M. McCLATCHlE 2,023,431

MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 7, 1933 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 mull.

Dec. 10, 1935. J, M McCLATCH lE 2,023,431

MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 7, 1933 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 10, 1935.

J. M. M CLATCHIE Filed Oct. 7, T

1953 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Q q Q M r IVE ill E m INVENTOR Jo/m JV- QHTCfl/E ATTORNEYS 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 J. M. M CLATCHIE MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 7, 1953 Dec. 10, 1935.

QM Q I Dec. 10, 1935. J. M. M CLATCHIE MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE 1 0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. '7, 1933 INVENTOR J0///V/V (247'6#/ e' l/ I W ATTORNEYS Dec. 10, 1935. J MCCLATCHIE 2,023,431

MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE ATTORNEYS Dec. 10, 1935. J, M. McCL-ATCHIE 2,023,431

MACHINE FOR CONVEYING CANS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 7, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 L INVENTIIIF:

Jam /V [2A7z'/// ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE John M. McClatchie, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Borden Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 7, 1933, Serial No. 692,552

12 Claims.

The invention relates to an improvement in machines for washing cans and the like, and more particularly to improvements in the can Washing machine disclosed in my Patent No. 1,914,145 dated June 13, 1933. The object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the construction and mode of operation of certain of the parts of the machine disclosed in said patent as hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The improved can washing machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through that part of the machine adjacent to the discharge end thereof; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the discharge end of the machine; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 3, but with the moving parts in a different position; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the can carriage; Fig. '7 is a horizontal section through the machine, with various parts omitted and other parts in dotted lines, to illustrate the operation of the set of guard arms which are interposed between the cans whenthe same are brought over the nozzles; Fig. 8 is a similar View showing the set of guard arms carried by the can carriage, in position between the cans while the cans are being transported; Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the lower part of the machine at the discharge end, showing the mechanism for driving the means for shifting the cleansed and uprighted can across the dischargeplatform; Figs. 10 and 11 are side views of the spring counter-balancing means for the can carriage, Fig. 10 showing the action of the springs when the carriage is in its lowered position and Fig. 11 illustrating the position of the parts when the carriage is elevated; Fig. 12 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 10, and Fig. 14 is an end view of the same mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 11.

The machine disclosed in Patent No. 1,914,145 is provided with a series of spaced nozzles over which cans are successively placed by a carriage, and water, steam, air and other cleansing fluids subject the interior of the cans to successive cleansing treatments. The cans are positioned over the nozzles with a step by step movement of the can carriage, which moves upward, forward, backward and downward, so that it places a can over a nozzle where it receives a cleansing treatment, then lifts it and carries it forward and deposits it over the next nozzle.

This mode of operation is found in the present machine, which differs from the machine of said patent in the following particulars: 5

In the machine of the patent as well as in the present machine, guard means are provided consisting of arms which project between the cans when they are on the carriage and prevent the cans from toppling over while they are being 10 transported. In the present application, additional guard means are provided which are fixed with relation to the frame of the machine and act to support the cans to prevent them from toppling over while they are moved into and re- 15 main in a stationary position over the nozzles.

In the machine of Patent No. 1,914,145, the carriage supports the cans in an inverted position upon parallel rails forming a part of said carriage. Sometimes the mouths of the cans become misshapen or bent by handling, and in such cases the cans do not rest firmly when supported on two parallel rails. Consequently, in the machine shown and described herein, the cans are supported on a single rail, and at their upper ends lean against a longitudinal rail on the carriage frame. 1

The present invention also includes a movable guard plate which is held in position across the discharge platform when a can is being uprighted on said platform, and serves to prevent toppling of the can during the uprighting operation.

A novel feature of the invention resides in the use of a fixed plate situated adjacent the last nozzle, and so positioned that a can, when placed 5 over the nozzle, will have its mouth partly resting on the plate and will thus incline or lean toward the discharge end of the machine so that when the can is raised by the carriage, it will tend to upright onto the discharge platform. 40

Another novel feature in the present machine resides in the use of a rotating pusher arm which moves the cleansedand uprighted cans across the discharge platform.

Another novel feature in the present machine consists in a shock absorbing or counter-balancing device for the can carriage, which serves to eliminate shocks during the operation of the can carriage, particularly during its vertical travel, and to relieve the motor from strain at the beginning of the upward stroke of the carriage.

In the drawings are shown two longitudinally extending bars 29 on which the cans 30 are supported in inverted position during the various operations of washing, sterilizing and drying the cans. The bars 29 are provided at intervals throughout their length with legs, 3| which rest on cross pieces 32 supported from the upright standards 33 forming part of the stationary frame of the machine. The bars 29 extend throughout the full length of the machine, the left hand end, viewing Fig. 1, being located at the discharge end of the machine, the intake end of the machine not being shown. The nozzles for directing the washing, sterilizing and drying fluids into the cans extend upwardly from the can supporting bars 29 and are arranged at equally spaced intervals, being fixed in position between the bars by means of brackets 35. Each bracket 35 is provided with two oppositely disposed, longitudinal! extending wings 36 the upper edges of which are flush with the upper edges of the bars 29. The bracket wings 36 cooperate with the bars 29 in supporting the inverted cans over the nozzles.

The means for advancing the cans through the machine and depositing them successively over the nozzles comprises a longitudinally extending angle bar or rail 31 which supports on its horizontal part one edge of the flanged mouth of the usual type of large milk can, as shown in Fig. 3. The bar 31 rests on the end of transversely arranged pieces 38 secured to the lower end of the inner row of uprights 40. These uprights are held in spaced relation by the longitudinally extending angle irons 43 and 44 secured to their lower ends, and by the channel iron 45 resting on the upper ends of the uprights 40, and are braced transversely with an outer row of uprights 39, by means of cross pieces 46 and the obliquely arranged braces 41. There is thus produced a light movable frame or carriage rigid enough to lift all of the cans in the machine simultaneously and transport them through the machine with a step by step movement. To the inner surfaces of the outer row of uprights 39 is secured a guard plate 48 and to the inner surfaces of the inner row of uprights 40 is secured a guard plate 49. The cans are prevented from striking the guard plates 48 and 49 by the longitudinally-extending rails 5| and 52. As the cans are supported at one edge of their flanged mouths on the single rail 3] of the carriage, they lean against the rail 5| while they are being carried from one nozzle to the next by the carriage. The rail 5| thus cooperates with the supporting rail 3'! in holding the cans in a slightly tilted upright position while they are being moved by the carriage, as shown in Fig. 3.

The cans are placed manually in the machine at the intake end thereof and are advanced through the machine by the carriage to which a four-step cycle of movements is imparted. The first step of the carriage is upward, lifting the cans to a point at which their flanged mouths are above the plane passing through the upper ends of the nozzles. The carriage then moves forward one step toward the discharge end of the machine and at the end of the forward step the carriage descends to lower the cansonto the bars 29, after which the carriage, freed from the cans, returns toward the intake end of the ma-' chine into position to pick up the next can which has been placed in the machine.

The means for imparting the four-step cycle of movements to the can transporting carriage comprises two rectangularly shaped gear frames 56 and 51 supported from the lower sides of the angle irons 43 and 44. The gear frames 56 and 51 have parallel sides and are guided in their movements between the longitudinally arranged bars 58 supported on the cross pieces 32. The upper ends of the inner row of uprights 40 of the can carriage are guided between two longitudinally extending channel irons 53 resting on r the transversely arranged channel irons 54 supported on the upper ends of the uprights 33 of the stationary frame of the machine.

Each gear frame 56 and 51 is provided with a four-sided internal gear, with rounded corners,

adapted to be engaged by a pinion 60. The pinions 60 (only one of which is shown in the drawings) are mounted on the inner ends of transversely arranged shafts 6| journalled at their ends in frames 62 which are supported at their inner ends on the bars 58 and at their outer ends on the angle irons 63 supported from uprights 33. On the outer ends of the shafts 6| are mounted bevel gears 64 which are driven by pinions 65- mounted on the opposite ends of the lon- 20 gitudinally arranged shaft 66 journaled in brackets 61 projecting outwardly from the frames 62. The shaft 66 may be driven from a conveniently placed motor and for this purpose is provided with a sprocket wheel 68 and chain 69.

The shaft 66 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 3.

By means'of the mechanism described it will be understood that when the pinions 60 are rotated, the can carriage will be given an upward, go

forward, downward and backward movement to raise the cans, carry them forward, deposit them over the nozzles and then move backward preparatory to the next-upward, can-lifting movement to begin the repetition of the cycle. The 3.;

can carriage is supported during its upward and downward movements and also while the pinions 60 are in engagement with the lower part of the gear sections, by means of rolls 16 concentrically alined with the shafts 6| and travelling in grooves 40 11 formed in the rear sides of the gear frames 56 and 57, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The rolls 16 are mounted on the journals 18 resting on the angle irons 58.

The shock-absorbing orequalizing device for the can carriage is shown in detail in Figs. 10 to 14 inclusive. Connecting frame uprights 33 on one side of the machine is a longitudinally extending bar 200 which carries a pair of spaced,

downwardly extending brackets 2!, in each of 5:)

upper ends pivoted at 201 to one end of an arm to 208. Each of the arms 208 is secured on a shaft 209 mounted to rock in bearings 2l0 secured on the transverse channel iron 54 of the machine frame. On each of the shafts 209 is secured an arm 2 which carries a roller 2I2 at its outer or,

end, the rollers bearing against the under face of plates 2l3 secured on the longitudinal channel iron 45 of the can carriage frame.

In Fig. 10 the can carriage is shown in its lowered position where it will be seen that the 'H) springs 203 and 205 are compressed. As the can carriage rises to its elevated position in Fig. 11, it is aided by the tendency of the springs to assume their normal position shown in Fig. 11.

The can carriage is free to move horizontally as the plates 2I3 ridefreely on the rollers 2I2 when the carriage so moves. With the spring arrangement disclosed the movements of the can carriage are smooth and substantially without shock, and the strain on the motor greatly lessened.

To prevent the cans from toppling during the forward movement of the carriage, I provide a series of guard arms 80 each consisting of a V- shaped piece of metal, the ends of the arms of which are fastened to the longitudinally extending rod 8| journalled in blocks 82 secured to the inner face of the guard plate 49 at points where the latter is in engagement with the uprights 49. The angle iron 52 overhangs the blocks 82 and rod 8|. At the discharge end of the machine the rod 8I is provided with an arm 83 having an offset free end in which is formed a cam slot 84 which receives a fixed rod 85 supported at one end by a bracket arm 86 secured to a drip tank 81 and at its other end by a bracket 88 rising from a rail 89 formed on one edge of the discharge platform 90. The disposition of the rod 85 and the cam slot in the arm 83 is such that when the can carriage is on its rearward stroke returning toward the intake end of the machine, the arm 83 is held lowered by the rod 85 and the guard arms 80 are thereby held pointed downwardly so as not to interfere with the cans, as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 7. When, however, the can carriage rises to carry the cans one step toward the discharge end of the machine, the arm 83 is turned by the rod 85 to raise the guard arms 80 into horizontal position between the cans so that if a can should tend to topple during the forward movement of the carriage it will be caught and held by the adjacent guard arm and returned to normal position on the downward stroke of the carriage depositing the cans on the supports 29. It will thus be understood that the guard arms 80 are moved upwardly between the cans as the carriage rises, continue in horizontal position during the forward step of the carriage, and are returned into inoperation vertical position on the downward travel of the carriage.

When the guard arms 80 move into their vertical or inoperative position, another set of similar guard arms 2I5 are moved into position between the cans and remain there to prevent toppling of the cans while the cans are supported on the supports 29. The guards 2I5 are similar in shape to the guards 8D and are secured on an oscillating shaft 2 I6 mounted to rock in bearings 2I1 secured to uprights 33 at one side of the machine frame. Near the discharge end of the machine, the shaft 2I6 is provided with an arm 2I8 pivoted to the upper end of a link 2I9 which has its lower end pivotally connected to an arm 220. The arm 220 is secured on a shaft 22I rotatably supported in bearings 222 secured on the uprights 33. Another arm 220a is secured on the shaft HI and has its end pivotally secured to the end of a rod 223 which has its other end attached to an arm 380 secured to an oscillating shaft I65. The arms 2I5 have a normal, inoperative position pointed upwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, and when the shaft I65 is oscillated in a counter-clockwise direction, when viewed as in Fig. 2, the shaft 2I6 will be likewise rotated in a counter-clockwise direction and will move the arms 2 I5 downwardly between the cans then resting on the supports 29 to the position shown in Fig. 2. When the shaft I65 is oscillated in a. clockwise direction the arms 2I5 will be moved upwardly from between the cans to the position shown in Fig. 3. The oscillatory movements of the shaft I65 are so synchronized with respect to the movements of the can carriage that the guard arms 2I5 are projected between the cans when the cans are brought down on the supports 5 29 and held in such position until the cans are again raised by the carriage, whereupon the arms 2I5 are raised from between the cans and the other guard arms 80 raised into position between the cans before the cans are carried forward by 10 the carriage.

As the cans are deposited on the supports 29, each can is positioned over a nozzle which directs a cleaning fluid within the can. The structure and arrangement of the several nozzles employed are fully described and claimed in my prior patent herein referred to and the description of them is therefore not repeated herein. In Fig.

1 four of the nozzles are shown and are those situated adjacent to the discharge end of the 2 machine. These four nozzles are, a nozzle F for rinsing the can with hot water, nozzles G and H for subjecting the interior surfaces of the cans to a steam bath, and nozzle I for directing a blast of air within the can to dry it. By movements of the carriage the cans are successively moved over the various nozzles until the last nozzle, 1, has acted, whereupon the cans are uprightcd and supplied with their covers and discharged from the machine.

The valves for controlling the passage of fluid through the nozzles are so controlled that each valve will only operate to permit the passage of fluid through a nozzle when a can is placed over the nozzle. One of the valves is shown in Fig. 3 and comprises a body portion or casing I55 and a vertically acting stem I56. The valves are supported from a longitudinally extending angle iron I51 by means of the inwardly extending bracket plates I58. The angle iron is secured to the inner side of the uprights 33 at the left hand side of the machine, when viewed as in Fig. 3.

The valves are normally in closed condition and are opened by depressing the valve stems I56. The means for depressing the valve stems comprises the cams I15 on the shaft I59. The shaft I59 is oscillated by the up and down movements of the can carriage and for this purpose the right hand end of the shaft (Fig. l) is provided with an outwardly extending crank arm I62 pivotally connected with the upper end of a link I63 the lower end of which is pivotally connected with an inwardly extending crank arm I64 (Fig. 2) fixed on the shaft I65 journaled in the bearings I66. On the shaft I65 is fixed a rod-like arm I61 (Figs. 3, 5 and 9) the free outer end of which is slid ingly received in a sleeve I68 provided with a head I69 slidingly mounted on a rod I1I carried by the lower ends of the downward extensions I12 of the gear frame 51.

The arrangement is such that when the can carriage descends, the shaft I is turned in a clockwise direction, looking from the discharge end of the machine, whereas the shaft I59 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction. On the 65 other hand when the can. carriage rises, the shaft I65 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction while the shaft I59 is turned in a clockwise direction. If cans are in position over the various nozzles, the valves corresponding to those nozzles are operated when the shaft I59 is turned on the descent of the can carriage, and the valves are released and consequently closed when the shaft I59 is turned in a reverse direction on the rise or upward stroke of the carriage. When the can carriage is moving longitudinally toward either the discharge or the intake end of the machine, the rod I1I slides in the head I68 and the shafts I65 and I59 have no rotary movement. In order that the rod HI and head I89 shall not bend, the sleeve I68 moves in a vertical slot formed by the uprights I13 (Fig. 9).

The cams I do not contact with the valve stems and so do not immediately actuate the valves. Actuating means for each valve is a member I82, adjustably secured to the under tide of the inner end of a plate I11 extending inwardly from a frame I18, loosely mounted on a rod or stud I79 fixed at its lower end in the valve supporting plate I58. The valve actuating members are normally held out of alinement with their respective valve stems so that when the plates I11 are depressed as the shaft I58 and the cams I15 rotate each time the can carriage descends, the member I82 will not contact with and actuate their valves unless cans are at the stations or nozzles corresponding to the valves. Each valve actuating member I82 is held out of alinement with its respective valve stem by a spring I88 encircling the lower end of each stud I19 and having its upper end attached to a plate I 11 and its lowerend attached to the plate I58.

The action of each spring I88 is to support its respective plate I11 and frame I18 and also to swing them so as to normally hold the valve actuating member I82 out of alinement with its valve stem I56. The means for swinging each frame I18 against the action of its spring I80 to aline the valve actuating member I82 with its valve stem I includes a vertical rod I85 carried on the end of an arm I84 having a hub loosely mounted on a stud 119. The arm I84 is adapted to engage with an upright pin I81 on a plate I85 extending inwardly from the frame I 18 above the plate I11. A spring I89 (Fig. 1) secured at one end to the arm I84 and at its other end to an ear I90 of a bracket I88 supported by an angle iron I51 normally holds the arm I84 against the end of the bracket I88. The spring I presses the pin I81 against the other side of the arm I84. When the arm I8! is swung away from the bracket I88, the plate I 11 will be' swung in like manner due to the engagement between the arm I84 and the pin I81 and actuating member I82 will be alined with its valve stem to actuate the valve on the next rotation of the cam shaft I59.

The operation of the valves is controlled by the placement of a can over the nozzle controlled by cach valve. As the operation of the device for controlling these valves is fully described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,914,145, the description of the same is not herein repeated. When a can is placed over a nozzle, the valve for that nozzle will have its operating member I alined with its valve stem I56 so that the cam I15 acting upon the member I 11 will depress the valve stem and open the valve. The arrangement is such that as a can approaches the first nozzle it engages a feeler and thereby controls the operation of the. first valve, the remaining valves and their actuating means being controlled from the first valve and its actuating means.

One of the control devices for the valves comprises the finger I82, which, when an arm I98 is depressed by the weight of a can as indicated in Fig. 3, is projected outwardly in line with the rod I85 to shift said rod and cause it to aline the valve operating member I82 with the valve stem I56. This alinement is maintained during partial descent of the carriage until the cam I15 has depressed the valve-actuating member I82 into engagement with the valve stem I56, so as to prevent their lateral displacement. Other valve controlllng elements are the fing'ers" I92a supported by the carriage. While the cans are passing through the maclrliie and undergoing washing, sterilizing, and

nally extending rod 328 secured on a shaft 330 which is oscillated in one direction to lift the fingers above the top surfaces of the can covers as shown in Fig. 2, and yieldingly oscillated in the other direction to lower the fingers to cover engaging position. For this purpose the shaft 330 carries anarm 333, the free end of which projects through a slotted plate 334 secured to an upright 40 of the can carriage. A contraction spring 335, the lower end of which is attached to the arm 333 and the upper end of which is attached to a pin 336, secured to the channel beam 45, normally ho ds the free end of the arm 333 against the top 331 of the slotted plate 334. As the carriage is moved downwardly, the arm 333 is depressed and it oscillates the shaft 330 to lift the fingers 331 above the can covers, as shown in Fig. 2. When the carriage rises, the spring 335, holding the arm 333 against the under side of the part 331, causes the shaft 330 to oscillate and place the fingers 321 in cover engaging position, as shown in Fig. 3.

While the fingers 321 are held above the tops of the can covers by the engagement of the part 331 with the arm 333, the can carriage is moving toward the intake end of the machine, and while the fingers 321 are in cover engaging position the 4 can carriage is moving toward the discharge end of the machine and consequently the fingers 321 advance the covers one step. In this manner, the covers are advanced through the machine so that when a can is discharged from the machine, a

washed and cleansed cover will be discharged with it. Several of the nozzles for performing the cleansing operations on the covers are indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the nozzle shown at 355 in Fig. 3 being that which treats the interior of the cover with a cold water spray, and the nozzle at 365 in Fig. 2 being that which directs a blast of air against the cover to dry it. The cover cleansing nozzles employed subject the covers to the same cleansing treatment which the cans receive.

After the can has been dried by the air nozzle 1, it is uprighted onto the di charge platform by the upward and forward strokes of the carriage. In order to facilitate the somersaulting of the can onto the discharge platform, the can, while positioned over the nozzle I, is held at a slight angle so that it leans toward the discharge platform, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, by having a portion of its mouth resting on a plate 300 extending across the supports 28 at one side of the nozzle. As a part of the can top will rest on this plate and a part on the rails, the can will be slightly tilted toward the discharge end of the machine, and as the carriage rises, at

iii

gear frame 51. Through this arrangement, the

which time the rear end of the carriage alines with about the median line of the can, it will tilt the can further and against the abutment 9|. Then as the carriage completes its upward movement and moves forward, the can is pushed over the abutment and lands bottom side down on the discharge platform. If a can is not properly uprighted after sliding over the abutment, the uprighting of the can on the discharge platform is completed by means of a pusher arm 210 secured to a shaft 2H journ-alled in bearings such as 212 secured to appropriate frame members of the machine. Shaft 2Il has also secured thereto an operating lever 213 against which a suitable stud or pin 214 carried on the can carriage is adapted to engage as the carriage completes its forward stroke. By this engagement the operating lever 213 is moved to swing the arm 210 againstthe rear side of the can and to push the can into upright position in case the can should be leaning against the abutment 9|.

The platform 90 extends transversely across the discharge end of the machine and is supported on longitudinal channel irons 280 extending from the last pair of uprights 33 to the final short pair of uprights 28L At its forward edge, platform 90 is supported by the angle iron 282 extending transversely of the two uprights 28l. These uprights are also connected toward their lower ends by an angle iron 283.

The cans are discharged onto the platform 90 at a point in alinement with the bars 29, and here the forward edge of the platform 90 is provided with an upright plate 28 i which assists in guiding the can into upright position and prevents the uprighting can from toppling off the end of the machine. There is also a guard plate 285 secured along the adjacent side edge of the platform. A movable guard is used to prevent the cans from toppling toward the left side of the platform, when viewed as in Fig. 2. This guard consists of a plate 315 secured at one of its edges to a vertical shaft 316 mounted to oscillate in the bearings 31'! attached to the frame of the machine. At its lower end, the shaft 316 connects through a toggle 318 with a rod 319 that extends to and is pivotally connected with the arm 380 on the shaft I65. This arrangement is such that when a can is being uprighted onto the platform 90, the guard plate 315 is situated across the platform in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. vl. When movement of the can across the platform, by a means to be described, is started, the guard plate 315 is moved out of the path of the can, or to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

The uprighted can when received on the platform is moved transversely on the platform into position to receive a spray of water against its bottom, and to receive its cover. For this purpose, a rotating arm 290, having a can-engaging piece 29! at its upper end, is fixed on a shaft 292, journaled in bearings 293 resting on crosspieces of the machine frame. Secured on the shaft 292 is a sprocket wheel 294 about which extends a chain 295 which connects with a sprocket wheel 296 secured on a shaft 291. The shaft 29'! is mounted to rotate in bearings 350, one end of said shaft carrying a bevel gear 35I meshing with a bevel gear 352 secured on a shaft 353 extending at right angles to the shaft 291. The shaft 353 is mounted in bearings 354 and is provided on its end with a yoke 355, the slot of which engages with a pin 356 extending from a plate 35! connecting the two downward extensions I12 on the arm 290 is moved with a rotary motion and when it moves upwardly through the slot 358 in the platform 90, its can-engaging end 29I will be brought against the side of the can resting thereon and will push the can across the platform 90 into position over a-nozzle I2I which directs a spray of water against the bottom of the can to wash it. In the pipe I20 which feeds the nozzle I2I, there is a valve 359, having a stem 360 over which is located an actuating member 36L adjustably secured to the under side of a plate 362, hinged at 363 to the platform. This plate 362 is normally retained slightly raised about the platform 90, as shown in Fig. 2, by the pressure of the valve stem 360 against the member 36L When the can is movedacross the platform by the arm 290 into position over the plate 362 the weight of the can will depress this plate and consequently depress the valve stem 360, causing 20 the valve to open and a spray of water to issue from the nozzle I2I and impinge against the bottom of the can.

On the next forward stroke of the carriage, the

can is pushed forwardly from the platform 90 and 25 on to the rollers 308 which carry the can away from the machine. The means for discharging cans from the platform includes an arm 309 secured to one of the rails 44 of the can carriage,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The arm 309 has a can-engaging end 3l0 which, when the carriage is raised, comes into line with the can to be discharged. Then, on the forward stroke of the carriage, this end 3 I 0 of arm 309 will move against the rear of the can and push it from the platform 90 onto the rollers 308. Then the carriage lowers and the end 3!!! of arm 309 will move into po sition below the platform 90 and will be out of the way of another can being moved across the platform. The platform 90 is suitably cut away,

as shown at 3| I, to allow for the movement of the arm 309 and its can-engaging end 3l0 relatively to the platform both vertically and horizontally. On the forward stroke of the carriage, which uprights the can onto the platform 90 opposite the discharge end of the bars 29, the cover which has just been subjected to a blast of air over nozzle 365 is advanced to the end of the rails 32I and 322 in position to be pushed off on the next forward stroke of the carriage. Before this occurs, the can is moved across the platform and into position under the rails 32l and 322, so that on the next or discharge stroke of the carriage, during which the cover is pushed off the rails 32I and 322, the cover will fall onto the open top of the can as the latter is discharged from the machine. Plates 386 are secured to the ends of the rails 32l and 322 to act as a guard for the reciprocating bar 328. The entire top of the machine is provided with a protective hood 3I3.

The cans and the covers fed to the machine at the intake end are moved along by the carriage in a step-by-step movement and placed over each nozzle successively to be treated thereby with a series of cleansing treatments. While the can carriage is transporting the cans from one nozzle to the next, the guard members 80 are preventing toppling of the cans. When the cans are being placed over the nozzles and are resting upon the support 29, the guard members 2I5 come into operation and prevent toppling of the cans. The shock absorbing or counter-balancing means for the carriage, consisting of the leafsprings 203 and 205, enables the carriage to move through its four step cycle of movement smoothly and with fan a minimum of shock. When the cans reach the discharge end of the machine, they are uprighted and preventedfrom toppling by the surrounding guard plates 284, 285 and 315, the movable guard plate 315 being moved out of the path of each can as the can is moved across the platform toward the nozzle IN by the arm 290. The arm 290 is rotated at ,variable speeds during each rotation due to the manner in which it is driven from the gear frame 51, and slides the cans across the platform to a position over the nozzle III where the bottoms of the cans receive a washing and the cans receive their covers. The cans and covers are then slid from the platform by the pusher arm 30! to the rollers 308 which carry them away.

What I claim is:-

1. In a machine of the character described, a can transporting carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement, said carriage being adapted to support and carry cans in predetermined spaced relation thereon during a predetermined part of each cycle of movement, and being adapted to be free of cans during the remaining portion of each cycle of movement, a support on which the cans are adapted to be placed by the carriage, means on the carriage for preventing displacement of the cans while supported on the carriage and while the carriage is moving upwardly and horizontally forward, said means including guard arms projecting between the cans supported on the carriage and movable from between the cans on the downward travel of the carriage, a second series of guard arms movable into position between the cans when the cans are moved downwardly by the carriage, means for moving the second series of guard arms from between the cans when the cans are lifted by the carriage, a fixed abutment over which the cans are adapted to be successively pushed and uprighted by the carriage, means adjacent the abutment for supporting a can at an angle so that the can leans toward the abutment, a platform on which the can lands in upright position after having been pushed over the abutment, a movable guard member held adjacent to one side of the can while the can is being uprighted, means for moving the uprighted can across the platform, and means for shifting the movable guard member out of the path of the can as the can is moved across the platform.

2. In a machine of the character described, a can transporting carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement, said carriage being provided with a single rail on which the edge of each can mouth at one side of the can rests, a second rail on the carriage against which the opposite side of the upper end portion of each of the cans leans while being transported, the cans being carried in spaced relation on the carriage during a predetermined part of each cycle of movement, the carriage being adapted to be free of cans during the remaining portion of each cycle of movement, a support on which the cans are adapted to be placed by the carriage, means on the carriage for preventing displacement of the cans while supported on the carriage and while the carriage is moving upwardly and horizontally forward, said means including guard arms projecting between the cans supported on the carriage and movable from between the cans on the downward travel of the carriage, a second series of guard arms movable into position between the cans when the cans are moved downwardly by the carriage, means for moving the second series of guard arms from between the cans when the cans are lifted by the carriage, a fixed abutment over which the cans are adapted to be successively pushed and uprighted by the carriage, means adjacent said abutment for supporting a can at an angle so that the can leans toward the abutment, a platform on which the can lands in upright position after having been pushed over the abutment, a movable guard member held adiacent to one side of the can when the can is being uprighted, the platform having an opening, a rotating lever movable upwardly through said opening for engaging and moving the uprighted can across the platform, and means for shifting the movable guard member out of the path of the can as the can is moved across the platform.

3. In a machine of the character described, a can support, a carriage for moving the can along the support, lifting it from and lowering it on the support successively, the can carriage having a single rail on which a part of one side of the mouth of an inverted can rests, said rail raising the can from the support and carrying it horizontally and then lowering it on the support, and a second rail extending along the opposite side of the can carriage against which the can leans while being raised, horizontally moved, and lowered by the carriage.

4. In a machine of the character described, a can carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement, said carriage being provided with a single supporting rail on which a portion of the mouth of each of a number of cans carried by the rail rests, the cans being carried in predetermined spaced relation on the supporting rail during a predetermined part of each cycle of movement, the carriage being adapted to be free of cans during the remaining portion of each cycle of movement, a second rail on the carriage against which the cans lean while being transported, springs compressed by the carriage on its downward movement, a support on which the cans are adapted to be placed by the carriage, means on the carriage for preventing displacement of the cans while supported on the carriage and while the carriage is moving upwardly and horizontally forward, said means including guard arms projecting between the cans supported on the carriage, and movable from between the cans on the downward travel of the carriage, a second series of guard arms movable into position between the cans when the cans are moved downwardly by the carriage.

and means for moving the second series of guard arms from between the cans when the cans are lifted by the carriage.

5. In a machine of the character described, a support, a can carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement adapted to carry cans and place the same on the support, and means for preventing displacement of the cans when the same are being placed on the support and while they are supported thereon, said means comprising guard elements mounted on a stationary part of the machine and movable between the cans when the same are being placed on the support and movable from between the cans when the cans are lifted from the support by the carriage, said carriage being constructed and arranged so as not to interfere with said guard elements on the backward movement of the carriage.

6. In a machine of the character described,

a can carriage having horizontal and upward and downward vertical movements, said carriage being adapted to support and carry cans in predetermined spaced relation thereon during a predetermined part of each cycle of movement and being adapted to be free of cans during the remaining portion of each cycle of movement, means on the carriage for preventing displacement of the cans while supported on the carriage and while the carriage is moving upwardly and horizontally forward, said means including guard arms projecting between the cans supported on the carriage and movable from between the cans on the downward travel of the carriage, a second series of guard arms movable into position between the. cans when the cans are moved downwardly by the carriage, and means for moving the second series of guard arms from between the cans when the cans are lifted by the carriage.

7. In a machine of the character described, a carriage for transporting cans in spaced relation and depositing them on a support, a set of movable guard arms projecting between the cans while the cans are being carried by the carriage, means for moving said guard arms from between the cans when the carriage moves the cans toward the support, a second set of guard arms and means for moving the same into position between the cans when the cans are being deposited on the support so as to prevent the cans from toppling over while on the support.

8. In a machine of the character described, a carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement, said carriage being adapted to support and carry cans in predetermined spaced relation thereon during a pre determined part of each cycle of movement and being adapted to be free of cans during the remaining portion of each cycle of movement, a support on which the carriage is adapted to deposit the cans, and means mounted on a stationary part of the machine for preventing displacement of the cans while the cans are being placed on said support and while the cans remain on the support, said means including a rock shaft carrying V-shaped guard arms projecting laterally from it, and means driven by movement of the carriage for rocking the shaft to project the guard arms horizontally between the cans when said cans are being deposited on the support, and to remove said guard arms from between the cans when the cans are being raised from the support, said carriage being constructed and arranged so as not to interfere with said guard arms on the backward movement of the carriage.

9. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a support, a. carriage movable within the frame with an upward, forward, downward and backward movement for placing a can in inverted position on the support and lifting it therefrom successively, leaf springs hung from the frame, links connected to the ends of said leaf springs, pivoted arms on the frame connected to the links, rollers on the ends of the arms held below parts of the carriage whereby an upward thrust is imparted to the carriage by the springs and the carriage has free horizontal movement relative to the springs.

10. In a machine of the character described, including a horizontally extending support, a carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement for placing a can in inverted position on the support and lifting it therefrom successively, a fixed abutment over which the can is adapted to be pushed by the carriage, means located adjacent to the abutment for supporting a can at an angle so that when the can is raised by the carriage it will incline toward the abutment, and a platform on which the can lands in upright position after having been pushed over the abutment by the carriage. 7

11. In a machine of the character described, a support, a carriage having an upward, forward, downward and backward movement for placing a can on the support and lifting it therefrom successively, a fixed abutment over which the can is adapted to be pushed by the carriage, a member located on the support and forward of the abutment so that a can placed on the support at this point will partly rest on said member and partly on the support and will incline toward the abutment so that the carriage on its final up ward and forward movement will direct the can over the abutment,'and a platform on which the can lands in upright position.

12. In a machine of the character described including a stationary horizontally-extending can support, a carriage for advancing the can along the support, means for imparting an upward, forward, downward and backward movement to the carriage to advance the can along the sup-' port, lower it thereon and lift it therefrom successively, a single supporting rail on the carriage on which one edge of the mouth portion of the can is adapted to rest, and a second rail on the carriage against which the upper part of the opposite side of the can is adapted to rest, so that while the can is being transported by the carriage it is supported in tilted position by one edge of the mouth of the can and the upper portion of the opposite side of the can.

JOHN M. MCCLATCHIE. 

